In the missile industry, there is a need for cooling means for a detector of an infrared telescope. This detector needs to be cooled to near 20.degree.- 24.degree.K and this needs to be accomplished while the telescope and missile are spinning. Further, it is desirable to utilize a cooling means that is as simple as possible and does not require elaborate means for reducing the temperature of the medium to produce the cooled effect.
Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple method of cooling for a detector that includes spraying a cryogenic fluid into a chamber of sub-atmospheric pressure sufficient to cause the cryogenic fluid to be dropped below its triple point pressure and thereby deposit the sprayed cryogenic fluid on the detector as frozen crystals.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cooling means in which the detector is effectively cooled with the detector in a spinning motion.
A further object of this invention is to provide a simple cooling system that utilizes the low pressure atmosphere that the device is launched into in order to effect cooling and freezing of the cryogenic fluid.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a cryogenic fluid, such as neon, that can have the pressure thereof dropped below its fluid triple point pressure in order to freeze the neon as it is being sprayed onto one side of the detector element to effect appropriate cooling of the detector.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a cooling arrangement in which the mass stability of the device is maintained as the detector is being cooled.
Still further objects and advantages of this invention will be obvious to those skilled in this art.